A statement easily made but less easily maintained.
It’s been a crazy ride after having my first child Ruby at the tender age of 22. I’d just been promoted in my first recruitment job in London and the career was on the right path. However parenting hit me pretty hard as it often does if you’ve shared that experience. I remember being the only one in the office with a child other than the owner! Long hours, strapped to a desk, with a sales target over my head and a drinking culture to boot.
Late nights, no sleep, cut throat London market, mortgage to pay for and oh yeh, 50% of the workforce were being let go due to company performance…buckle up I thought. So I did, I literally worked harder than ever and told my wife her responsibility was our baby and mine was work. It didn’t go down well nor did it work out that way. I felt totally responsible for both yet I left at 7am and got back after my daughter was in bed. I wasn’t happy and I’m sure it’s the same elsewhere.
Work and life was mutually exclusive for a long time after that, until my second child came along Harry. Almost as soon as he was born I made a decision to switch my priorities and put my family first on the pecking order and work came just behind. Ever since I drew that line in the sand, my life has been so much easier to guide and the decisions I’ve made have led me to owning a business, something I’ve dreamed of since hustling as a kid, washing my neighbours cars and cutting their lawns for cash.
Starting Amadeus was a way in which I could ensure total commitment to both my passions and priorities. Rod and I talked for hours on the future of the workplace and how Amadeus would embrace, support and nurture a full and happy life for our people and customers.
Our belief is that your success is predicated on how complete you’re as a whole person not just how good your numbers look at the end of each month. Which means your life and work have to integrate and flow on a daily and sometimes hourly basis. We don’t offer any gimmicks to ensure this happens, its just an unwavering value set that guides your instincts when you have your priorities aligned.
This is the future of the workplace and it starts today.
